[/media-credit] “Molly, By Golly!” is Dianne Ochiltree’s charming picture book about Molly Williams, a servant who helped volunteer firefighter brothers stop a house fire during a blizzard

Molly Williams was the cook for a member of one of New York City‘s volunteer fire companies in the early 1800s, and became famous when she pitched in, helping the men battle fires.

Dianne Ochiltree’s book compresses time and history to tell the dramatic story for which Williams is best known: A house fire erupted during a blizzard, and she joined the other volunteer firefighters, helping drag a pumper engine through the heavy snow. Strictly speaking, that wasn’t her baptism by fire (sorry) — one historical record has Williams responding to a blaze in 1815, three years before the blizzard that inspired “Molly, By Golly!” But she did indeed go on to help fight fires for years.